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Retro Renovation Reader Roundup

Here goes my second reader roundup, keep sending us your home photos, finds or dilemmas — the email address is at the bottom of this post. Katy told us all about the work she’s got going on lately and shared her great weekend find:

I enjoy your website/blog very much! I have a retro 1960’s home that was even featured on HGTV’s National Open House. I’m a Mom/yoga teacher/Tupperware consultant (I’ve got some terrific vintage Tupperware!) who enjoys finding gems fit for our home. I’m in the process of having two large pieces of Ranch Oak furniture reupholstered so it’s been fun searching for just the right fabric. But I thought I’d send you a picture of my favorite weekend find – a phone in a box! $10 deal – it works – it’s hooked up… now we just wait for someone to call…. the ring is pure & true!”

That’s so neat your mid-century home was on HGTV, totally my favorite channel…and you sell Tupperware – I bet that added some points on the retro meter. Reminds me of Aunt Pam at the Electrolux salesman’s estate sale. I’m digging the built in the phone sits in (heck, for $10 I‘m digging almost anything). Your description of the ring made my day, hope all your projects are coming together well.

I enjoyed reading this email from Linda, who explains her love for vintage bathrooms (and the lack of love from everyone else):

I didn’t think there was anyone out there that thought like I do, I love my pink and green bathrooms, master is pink and smaller is green. I have been looking for ideas and everywhere I went they all said GUT IT!! Redo all of it!! No can do. The people before me changed the sinks and covered the floors with carpet. The tile under is in bad shape, I don’t know what I can do about it but…. the wall tile and glass block tile around the tub is looking good – don’t think I want to go retro but will save the pink!!

I can practically hear the people at the hardware store telling you to “gut it.” I’m proud you are on our side. It is a shame the previous owners installed carpet and new sinks – who knows what make/color they could have been. At least you have those great glass blocks and the rest of the tile looks to be in excellent shape. Thanks for sending in, Linda.

Here are some really hard working readers. Beth and Mark let us peek at the updated bathroom in their 1955 mid century modest ranch:

Hello Pam & Matt, I was INSPIRED while looking at your website. I LOVED Palm Springs Stephan’s blue bathroom in the top 10 bathrooms article! I persuaded my husband (DH) to paint the tile edge black. Yes, he did it though he thought it absurd. The shower curtain, rug and soap dispenser were found online at Target. The retro ceramic woman head was from a thrift shop for $5. For curtains I bought musical note fabric and black pom pom trim at JoAnn fabrics and with Mom’s help sewed them. The vinyl floor tiles I found over 10 years ago at Lowes. It was great fun and Mom and DH love the results too. My husband is a professional painter, remodeler, electrician and painter. For paint we used outdoor exterior Muralo mid gloss (satin) standard black to paint the tile. He felt that would endure in a humid bathroom. I’ve told many of our neighbors about your website!

Wow, Beth, the final product came out looking great. I’m sure your husband and Mother are glad they let you do your thing – I‘m glad you turned them onto the retro way of doing things. I believe I have the same ceramic woman head in my collection. Did you paint the legs on your sink- what were they originally if you did? How nice to have a DH who’s a professional. Keep spreading the word about Retro Renovation & thanks for the compliments.

JanLea wants to share these pretty red/magenta-y slipper chairs she plans to put in the old beauty salon she bought:

My daughter turned me on to your site and I have been on it several times a day for a week. I am renovating a one chair beauty salon in a 1924 bungalow here in Kansas City, Mo. It has an addition (60’s) off the kitchen that is knotty pine with a red and grey tiled floor. It is going to be fun to decorate…in phase three. First phase: I put my grandmothers Frigidaire Flair stove in and added cool mid century knobs and pulls to the (unfortunately new) cabinets in the kitchen. I picked up a pair of slipper chairs yesterday along with a very cool shaped frieze couch. The chairs are not a good color for my scheme but the fabric is in such good shape I may work with it. The couch has to be recovered. My goal for the whole house is to blend old with new (when I have to) and re-purpose what I can. I loved the link to the old NOS auto upholstery and loved the fabrics from Maharam. These three pieces will go in the waiting area of my house. Your site is going to be a real help in my process.

Yes, JanLea, Aunt Pam calls that color mid-century rose red (click here to see posts that talk about rose red) — I’m sure you can find a way to incorporate it. As you said, it is in very good condition. I really like how the seat of the chair isn’t that far of the ground. Goes with the beauty parlor theme – especially with the tassel bottoms. I’m excited to see how your house turns out in the end, it sounds like you have a good plan & some good decorating ideas – I hope you let us know about the final product. These chairs could have come from the same place as my next Reader Roundup…

I have to admit I got excited when I received this email from Kate. Check out the six-seater retro couch she discovered:

Found at the local antique mall, in the cool Mid Mod booth. It’s billed as an Airport Lounge piece, in perfect condition, $4500. (ouch!)

Very right about the painful price, but I imagine it would be so worth it once you got it back home. I just can’t get over how bright the colors are- that pattern is super groovy. From what I can tell, it is actually six separate chairs that you can arrange in whatever way you wish (even better). The tag is right though, I’m definitely getting the doctors office/airport vibe from them.

Linda with the pink bathroom,
I don’t know where you live, but B & W tile in Gardena, CA (frequently cited here on retroren.) has a mint green tile (gloss and matte) which looks like a great match for the green wall heater. I think the green in the floor tile hex would look great on the floor if you need to replace and green on the sink counter with a pink trim like the walls would look fabulous! Don’t abandon the pink.

Oh my gosh! That is my phone on the Jersey Shore – I saw it last night after it was mentioned by Amy! That phone now has a “story” after being “featured” on Retro Renovation – what a kick – thanks Matt!

We’re so pleased you shared the photos of our blue bathroom. To answer your question about the bathroom sink – The legs are chrome but a bit rusty so I bought a blue plastic shower pole cover, cut it in half – and put half around each sink leg with the seam toward the wall – taaaadah.